How to Start a Travel Agency in Dubai?

Dubai is a premier business hub for businesses of all sizes – be it a budding startup or an established firm. Therefore, opening a travel agency in Dubai is the right choice. You can manage events under MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) when you run a tourism business in the UAE.

It’s a lucrative opportunity to establish your agency’s name and indulge in real-time engagement with your audience. You don’t need to worry about start a travel agency in Dubai when you collaborate with the business consultants at Shuraa. We offer end-to-end business assistance to facilitate hassle-free business incorporation in the Emirates.

How to Start a Travel Business in Dubai?

Setting up a travel agency in Dubai is a lucrative business venture as it’s among the booming industries of the region. Therefore, all you need to do is follow the steps mentioned below to get started with your business activities:

1. Finalize your Business Activities and Agency’s Structure

The best part about opening a tourism business in the UAE is the flexibility to choose the legal structure of your choice. You can launch an LLC (limited liability company), joint venture, branch office, among several others in Dubai.

You need to list down the business activities you’ll be carrying out in the Emirates once you’ve finalized your agency’s legal structure.

This list is duly evaluated by the concerned jurisdiction and you need to form their approval before commencing the business activities.

2. Choose a Trading Name for your Travel Agency

The next step is to book a trading name for your travel agency in the UAE. All legal entities must have a uniquely identifiable name for their ventures to stamp their authority in the marketplace. Therefore, select a business name that’s memorable, catchy, and indicative of your offerings.

Business investors also need to ensure that they don’t violate any naming convention guidelines maintained by the UAE’s government. Moreover, remember that you need to use a person’s full name if you wish to keep it as the official business name of your travel agency.

3. Procure a Travel Agency License

Once you’re done with the steps discussed above, it’s time to apply for a tourism license to form your travel agency.

You need to work closely with the concerned economic department and DTCM (Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing) for obtaining your license.

Don’t forget that a travel agency license isn’t a one-time government fee. You need to renew the same annually to maintain its validity. The business experts at Shuraa help you manage your business license by taking care of all the legalities.

4. Secure Permit for your Tourism Company

The DTCM issues several tourism permits, and you need to apply for the ones that match your requirements. Remember that your travel agency can be deemed non-compliant if you don’t have the obligatory approvals.

Here are a few permits issued by the DTCM:

• Inbound Tour Operator: a tourism license for travel agents who organize incentive tour expatriates who have landed in the Emirates for a conference, seminar, etc. The permissible business activities include visa management, hotel reservations, and more.
• Outbound Tour Operator: you can secure the outbound tour operator permit if your primary objective is to sell tourism packages abroad.
• Travel Agent: a travel agent license in Dubai empowers you to carry out various business activities. These include selling tickets, hotel reservations, car rental services, and many more.

5. Manage Visas

It’s imperative to procure visas for yourself, and your dependents to ensure everyone’s safe stay in the UAE. The best part about setting up a company in Dubai is that you can easily apply for residence visas.

It’s a straightforward four-stage process, and you need to submit the obligatory documents alongside your application. You can get in touch with Shuraa’s legal advisors in case you face any difficulties with visa management.

Launch your Travel Agency in Dubai Today!

Your decision to become a part of the booming tourism business in the UAE is the right one, thanks to the government’s supportive business laws. You don’t need to pay corporate or professional taxes, and repatriation of 100% of your profits is also viable.

All you need to do now is connect with the company formation experts at Shuraa Business Setup. We resolve all your worries on how to start a travel agency in Dubai, become your sleeping partners, and handle all the legalities at competitive prices.